Two Sharpes men charged in ‘Cold Case’ murders

Over two years after the lives of two Redemption Sharpes men were snuffed out, local police investigators have made a break through in the investigations into their murders.{{more}}

Che Bute, 26, labourer, and 21-year-old Azari Ash, of the same address, are jointly charged with causing the shooting death of Lloyd “Lazo” Samuel, 37, of Redemption Sharpes, on December 21, 2007.

Bute is also accused of causing the death of Glenford “Wa Wa” Smith, 29, labourer, of Redemption Sharpes, between May 13-14, 2007.

The accused were taken up by the police in Redemption Sharpes on Saturday, April 24, 2010.

After spending four days in a coma, Samuel died on Christmas Day at the Intensive Care Unit at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital after sustaining three gunshots to his head around 1:15 am on December 21, 2007, at Redemption Sharpes. Samuel was reversing his car, P1882, into his yard when he was fired upon.

In the case of Smith, his body was found lying in a yard on May 14, 2007, in Redemption Sharpes, with gunshot wounds to his left side.

Bute and Ash were remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison until June 8 and 11, 2010, respectively. Lawyer Grant Connell appears on behalf of both accused.

Meanwhile, Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Willisford Caesar, is reminding Vincentians that more of these cold cases could be solved once public assistance is forthcoming. Declining to divulge specifics of the men’s capture Caesar noted: “The public’s help was instrumental in their capture and I urge them to come forward with any information they have about any other murders,” Caesar beseeched.

The veteran cop said that even though a crime may have been committed as far back as 2000, their investigations continue until someone is caught.

“We at the department continue to investigate cases on our files from a long time ago, but it takes the help of the public in many instances in order to arrest and charge someone,”Caesar added. (KW)